Powder puff



Patented June 6, 1944 UNITED, STAT Es PATENT OFFICE Y POWDER, PUFF Amer; E. Vaughn, Los Ange-les, Calif.

' Application october ,29, 19417,-v seria; No. 416,953

' 6 claims. (c1. y15'-`131.1)

` The present disclosure is a continuation-inpart of myl copending application SerialNo. 375,'- 821, led January 24, 1941. v

l My inventionrelates to flexible envelopes containing finely divided powder and more particularly tc such envelopes designed for progressively dispensing or applying ,a powder-like material. The invention is applicable in various arts to dispensing various finely dividedjmaterials but is being initially embodied'in'a dispensing powder pui. For the purpose of this disclosure the invention will be described as so embodied, it being apparent that such a disclosure will be adequate guidance for those skilled in the art who mai need to apply the invention to other devices for other purposes.

The general object of the vinstant embodiment of the invention is to produce an eilcient powder-containing puiT, a powder puff that is economical in consumptionl of powder, simple in construction, and inexpensive to manufacture. The procedure of dipping a simple powder puff of the prevalent type into a mass of loose powder is wasteful and does not favor uniform application of powder to the skin. The fabric of the conventional powder pu, moreover, tends to become soiled rapidly and if` brought into contact with oleaginous substances, suchvas face cream, powder foundation, or even the natural oils of the skin, tends Vto become matted and slicked up. .The outstanding advantage ofthe prevalent simple powder puff, howeven'is that with reasonable care the powder applied thereby may bel restricted substantially` to the selected areas of application. Itis not diilicult to avoid throwing powder particleszinto the ,air in random directions, the uncontrolled particles beinginhaled or alightingon the user's hair, eyeglasses or clothing. I

The desirability of va powder puffenclosing its own supplyof powder for release through a powder-pervious wall has long, been recognized. It iswell known that such a powder-containing puii can` minimize wasteand simplifythe powderapplying procedure. ,Certain difculties, however,

have prevented any widespread acceptance of the powder-dispensing puffs that have heretofore been offered tothe public. One of these problems is to obtain release of the powder at an economical yet satisfactoryrate without the nefio cessity of patting theV pui against'the skin and thereby throwing powder particlesin random directions. Another and related problem is to maintain a desired rate ofpowder'release throughout the service lifeof the puff. Adispensing of a powder-dispensingpuff-are mattedand embedded the powder supply is cut olf. With propowder puff mayfunction efcientlyatrst but gressive clogging of the paths of powder release provided in powder-dispensing puff, it; becomes necessary to pat the Vpuff with increasing violence to release powder and the puff may becomeentirelyuseless before the powder supply is exhausted.

, Important objects of the present invention are to provide a powder-containing puff that will release its powder content at a desired rate and tO provide a powder-dispensing puff that will maintain its utility and desirable capabilities substantially undiminished over a long service period, the service life of the puff terminating only when the original powder supply is exhausted. In the attainment of these important objects it has been necessary to meet the problemsA and diiculties mentioned heretofore, and a feature of my invention is the concept that these problems and difliculties may be met by employing 'a velvet-like dispensing sheerl having a pile of bers that are smooth-surfaced, resilient, and in a special sense non-absorbent. I have discovered that a pile of extruded fibers of synthetic material, such as a rayon pile, has certain properties or characteristics affording peculiar advantages of importance ina powder puff. Further objects of the invention include the attainment of these advantages, detailed discussion of the advantages being reserved for a later point in the disclosure.

'Avfter face powder dispensed from a supply container is applied to the skin, it may be desirable to employ some suitable auxiliary means lto Spread. or blend the applied powder. A further object of my invention is to provide a powder-dispensing puff having a non-dispensing portion to serve as a manually operable spreading or blending means. In this regard the preferred form of my invention is characterized by the concept of a dispensing envelope with a pliant marginal flap, which ap includes a portion of the dispensing fabric to provide a desirable spreader surface of the flap.y One feature of the invention is lthe provision of outwardly extending resilient bers on a marginal iiap to serve ias abrush for spreading powder.

, .The above and other objects and advantages will be apparent in my detailed description toV follow,` taken with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, which is to be considered as illustrative only: `v Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of the new powder puff; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the puff Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the puff;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the puff on an enlarged scale Fig.` 5 is an enlarged portion of Fig. 4; Fig; 6 isaview similar to Fig; 4 showing an alternative construction lfor the pull; and;

Fig; 7 is an`e'nlarged`portion of Fig; 6,`

Figs. 1 to 5 show a container or envelope in which a mass of face powder I is confined in a pocket between a dispensing wall or sheet generally designated `I Il forming one side of the envelope and a foundation wall or sheet generally desgnated'l forming 'the other side of the envelope. velvet-like fabric having a base weave I3 sufficiently loosely woven to release the powder at a desired rate and having an outwardly presented pile I5. The individual fibers of the pile I5 are smooth, resilient, and have lcharacteristics and capabilities to be discussed later. In the present practice the pile I5 is rayon.

Preferably the pocket containing the mass of powder I isformed substantially entirely in the dispensing sheetY II, the dispensing sheet being pre-stretched to the required concave configuration indicated in the drawing. It is contemplated that the pocket will bel of liberal capacity, the initial depth of the pocket being greater than the combined thicknesses of the two sheets I I and I2. rMarginal portions of the two sheets II andIZ lie together to form a marginal flap' I6 Aforthe powder-'containing envelope, Awhich flap is preferably continuous around the circumference of the envelope." The two overlapping marginal portions of the sheets II and I2 are united by suitable means, for example Aby intervening adhesive. In 'the particular construction shown in the drawing 'the pile I5 of the upper sheet I I is crushed in an innerj ring or inner zone I1 ofthe marginal flap I6, in which zone the two sheets are tightly bonded together to form an effective powder-tight seal. In ran outer zone I8 cf greater radial width the two sheets are only lightly bonded together, the pile fibers in this outer zone standing out resiliently to provide a short, pliant, annular .brush around the envelope. l

The foundation sheet I2 is intended to be imperviouswith respect to the powder particles and preferably is sufliciently flexible and pliant for The dispensing sheet II comprises aV suitably yielding action when'the puff is applied l to the skin and yetthe foundation sheet isl stiff enough to lie substantially at and resist crumpling or'folding. Powder puffs constructed in the general manner herein indicated commonly crume pile or sag into wrinkled state when placed on edge, especially during transportation in a handbag. One object of the present construction is to provide a powder puff that will maintain the vdesired configuration under all normal circumstances. In addition to attaining a desirable compromise between a desirable flexibility in the marginal flap I6 and a desirable degree of stiiness in the foundation sheet to resist crumpling, it is also requisite that the marginal iiap have a certain substantial thickness or body.

In the particular` construction exemplified in Figs. 1to 5, the'foundation sheet I2 is a velvet-like fabric with a downwardly extending pile 20, the fabricvbeing, for example, cotton velure. A feature of the illustrated construction is the employment ofcan adhesive coating 2l over the entire inner face of the sheet I-2 to serve three separate functions, namely, to seal the interstices of the foundation sheet therebyto make the foundation sheet impervious to the powder, to form a bond between the sheets II and I2 in the areas where the two sheets lie together forming the marginal flap IE, and to cooperate with the two sheets II and I2 to provide the desired degree of exibility for the marginal flap. In practice I use rubber 'cement for. the adhesive coat ybecause rubber cement both seals the pores of the cotton velure and unites the marginal portions of the two sheets together and yet remains pliable throughout the service life of the powder pull. An ordinary adhesive, such as common glue, would rnot be satisfactory because.. it dries tela stiffness that would destroy tlie"usefulness of the marginal flap.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a powder puff of substantially the saine construction as described above, corresponding numerals designating corresponding parts. The second construction differs from the rst only in having a foundation sheet generally designated 22 that is made of what may be termed a porous lastic. By porous lastic is meant rubber or rubber substitutes fabricated with numerous air cells. The foundation sheet 22 in the drawing may'be'spongerubber or airfoam rubber, the innerface of the sheet being sealed with the usual adhesive coating 2I'. .Y Porous lastic material has a fortuitous'combination "of'propertiesfor the present purpose'. j, Thesheet may be thick enough to give' body to the marginal' flap I6 and yet be sufficiently flexible A'and yyielding to serve as the major parto'f apowder'I-spreading device for applicationfto'thelskim, Of further importance is the fact that a porous lastic sheet has inherently the desired resistance to' crumpling and folding.

In service the powder pulf Yis'pressed and rubbed lightly againstthe "skin tojcause the powder to work outwardlythrough the dispensing sheet and to cause thepowder to be applied over the desired area. In response to simple wiping pressure the powder is released ata satisfactory rate and yet so economically that such a powder puff packed with only a moderategquantity of powder has a relatively long life of service. 'The fact that the e foundation sheet I2 is not pervious to the powder prevents powder from being released onto the users hand or being otherwise wasted. After the initial operation of applying the powder, the marginal ap of the powder puff is employed as a wiping means to spread and blend the powder. In practice the spreading operation is easily performed without further release of powder to any undesirable degree. Y

The utility of the new powder puff largely depends, as heretofore noted, Von the structure and character ofV the dispensing sheet through which the powder is 'released and by means of which the powder isy appliedto the users skin. The advantages o f'employing avelvet dispensing sheet with'a pile of extrudedV fibers of synthetic material, such as rayon, f'aref as follows:

1. Extruded bers off synthetic material as distinguishedl from vegetable fibers (cotton velure) and animal fibers '(wool and silk) are re1- atvely smoothv so that'powder particles do not tend to cling to them tenaciously. There is relatively little friction'al resistance to the outward movement ofV powder through passages formed by'rayon fibers.' Powder particles ilow soV easily through rayon pile thatrelease'of the powder at a desirable ratemay be; accomplished simply by rubbing the powder, puff lightly across the skin, there being no necessity whatsoever to pat the puff against the skin.` No particular care is required to restrict the powder application to desired areas.

.2. Synthetic 'extruded bers of the character of rayon have less''ailinityfor skin oils and other oils than exist between powder particles and such oils.` Apparently` cotton, silk andl wool fibers have an affinity for oils comparable to that of powder particles:

3. Synthetic berspsuchlas rayon, are relatively vnon-absorbentwithrespect to oil and do not soften and lose resiliency in the presence of oils. Animal and vegetable fibers on the contrary tend to become soggy and lifeless when in contact with oils.

4. Pile bers of rayon and the like not only tend vigorously to stand out from the woven base of the velvet fabric even after being subjected to considerable pressure, but also withstand continual bending without fatigue. Silk and cotton bers, on the other hand, lack such resiliency and may be easily crushed permanently. In fabricating the powder puff hereinbefore described, application of pressure is necessary to cause adhesion of the two fabric sheets to form the unitary marginal flap of the powder puff. The rayon fibers immediately recover from that pressure, whereas other fibers commonly employed for a velvet pile would be permanently damaged.

5. Because pile bers of rayon and the like are relatively smooth and have little alnity for oils, the bers have al characteristic that may be described as lack of any tendency to become matted by oleaginous mixtures. In contrast, pile bers of silk and cotton tend to become permanently embedded in masses of intermixed oils and powder.

A dispensing sheet of velvet having a pile of rayon or the like may be described as self-cleaning," since the powder particles moving outward through the rayon bers carry away contaminating substances. Such a dispensing sheet is not, of course, contamination-proof and does become soiled in the course of normal service, but the cleaning action of the outwardly flowing powder particles is effective to an important extent and markedly retards the rate at which the soiling of the dispensing sheet progresses. If rayon pile is used for a simple non-dispensing powder puff the pile becomes soiled and matted in a relatively short period of service. -It is apparent, then, that the outward flow of powder particles through the rayon pile of a dispensing powder puff is of'prime importance in retarding contamination of the pile. The so-called selfcleaning action of rayon pile in a dispensing sheet as contrasted with the action of silk and cotton pile may be demonstrated by making experimental powder puffs with various materials for the dispensing sheets and then rubbing into the pile of each experimental powder puff a liberal quantity of a grease such as vaseline or of an oleaginous mixture such as an ordinary powder base. The foreign matter will work free of the rayon bers and disappear in a short period of normal service, but will stubbornly remain in the pile bers of silk and cotton.

The detailed description herein of the preferred forms of my invention will suggest various changes and substitutions under my inventive concept; I reserve the right to all such departures from the described devices that properly come within the scope of my appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A dispensing envelope for powdered material having: a dispensing wall of fabric forming one side of the envelope, said fabric being sufficiently loosely Woven to permit the powder particles to lter through,'said fabric having an outwardly presented pile of resilient fibers of synthetic material; and a flexible wall of material impervious to the powder particles forming the other side of the envelope, the marginal portions of said two walls combining to form a margin of the envelope for use as a means to spread released powder, said two walls being heavily bonded together along an inner zone of said spreading margin to seal the powdered material in the envelope, said y two walls being lightly bonded together in an outer zone of said spreading margin with said pile fibers resiliently standing out in said outer zone to form a powder brush.

2. A dispensing envelope as set forth in claim l in which said spreading marginv is continuous around the envelope and in which said inner zone of the spreading margin is relatively narrow and said outer zone is relatively broad.

3. A dispensing envelope for powdered material having: a dispensing sheet of fabric forming one side of the envelope, said fabric being pervious to said powdered material and having an outwardly presented pile of smooth fibers of synthetic material; and a flat foundation sheet of lastic material forming the other side of the envelope, said foundation sheet being sufficiently thick to resist crumpling or folding.

4. A dispensing envelope for powdered material having: a dispensing sheet of fabric forming one side of the envelope, said fabric being pervious to said powdered material and having an outwardly presented pile of bers of` synthetic material; a flat foundation sheet of porous lastic material forming the other side of the envelope, said foundation sheet being suiciently thick to resist crumpling or folding; and a coating of adhesive material on the inner face of said foundation sheet sealing the pores of the foundation sheet and bonding marginal portions of the two sheets together.

5. A dispensing envelope for powdered material having: a first sheet of velvet with an outwardly extending pile of smooth synthetic fibers, said sheet forming one side of the envelope and being loosely woven to permit the powder particles to filter through, said sheet being of bulging configuration to form a powder pocket; a second sheet of flexible pervious material forming the other side of the envelope, marginal portions of said two sheets lying together to form a relatively wide margin for the envelope serviceable as means to spread released powder; and a coating of cement on the inner face of said second sheet, sealing the second sheet against the release of powder therethrough and bonding said marginal portions of the two sheets together, said cement being permanently elastic and resilient to permit free exure of said envelope margin.

6. A dispensing container for powdered material, including in combinaiton: a dispensing wall of fabric pervio-us to a powdered material and having an outwardly presented pile, said dispensing wall having a central, outwardly convex pocket formed therein and a flat margin of said fabric around said pocket; a flat backing wall of pervious material of substantially the same peripheral configuration as said dispensing wall; means for securing said margin of said dispensing wall and the peripheral margin of said backing wall together, including a layer of pliable sealing adhesive covering the entire inner face of said backing wall so as to render the same impervious to said powdered material and so as to secure said margins together; and a powdered material in said pocket and adapted to be sifted through said dispensing wall.

ALBERT E. VAUGHN. 

